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Everyone and their accountant are weighing in on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s creation of a tax force to investigate ways to reduce the state’s tax burden on property owners and businesses. We’ll put the latest on top.

From New York State United Teachers President Richard C. Iannuzzi:

“NYSUT welcomes the new Tax Relief Commission and looks forward to its collaboration with the Tax Reform and Fairness Commission. I am confident that an unbiased and comprehensive review of the state’s taxation policy will lead to a fuller understanding of the unfair tax burden placed on the shrinking middle class in New York state, and a realization that a significantly more progressive income tax and less-destructive property tax cap are key factors in achieving wide-scale economic growth. Wealth inequality and income inequality must be addressed by government action if we are to reach the shared prosperity all New Yorkers deserve.”

From Senate Democratic Leader Andrew Stewart-Cousins:

“Obviously lowering the tax burden on everyday New Yorkers is something that the Senate Democrats feel very strongly about and and we look forward to working with the Governor and the Commission to identify the best way forward.”

From Senate Co-Leader Dean Skelos:

I commend Governor Cuomo for joining Senate Republicans in making tax
cuts for middle class families and businesses a top priority. New Yorkers
are overtaxed at all levels of government. For years, Senate Republicans
have been the strongest advocates for cutting taxes to create jobs, help
families make ends meet, and make New York State more competitive.

In fact, we’ve been conducting statewide public hearings, led by
Senators John DeFrancisco and Carl Marcellino, on the most effective ways
to reduce property taxes, simplify the state’s tax code, lower broad based
taxes and help businesses create jobs. The hearings conclude this week and
our members have already received many strong recommendations. We are
eager to share this information with the Governor.

Senate Republicans have consistently been the strongest voice for tax
cuts and reforms including: working with Governor George Pataki to lower
broad-based taxes, establish the STAR school property tax relief program
and create STAR property tax rebate checks; working with Governor Cuomo to
bring state income tax rates to their lowest levels in six decades; speed
up the elimination of the 18-a energy tax, and eliminate the MTA payroll
tax for most small businesses so they can create jobs.

In addition, by keeping state spending growth under a two-percent cap
for the past three years, we have improved the state’s finances and created
an opportunity to give money back to taxpayers. To keep the state moving
forward, we should enact a plan to permanently limit state spending to no
more than two percent.

We look forward to working with the Governor to deliver the tax
relief middle-class families need and deserve as part of next year’s
budget.

From Mike Durant, State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business:

“New York’s substantial tax burden has been an impediment to economic growth for decades. In his first “State of the State” address, Governor Cuomo acknowledged our high tax burden put New York’s future in peril. Today’s announcement makes those words a lot more meaningful.

New York’s property taxes continue to be one of the most onerous burdens facing small business owners. Reducing property taxes will free up investment capital for businesses and increase discretionary spending power for consumers. Broad business tax cuts will also help many small businesses and put New York on a sound economic and fiscal trajectory.

Governor Cuomo has made some important reforms on the spending side, but the missing ingredient is still tax reform. His announcement today is a positive development and small businesses in New York are highly encouraged.

Just four weeks ago, we unveiled the New ERA for Upstate plan <http://unshackleupstate.com/news/press-releases/new-era> – an aggressive proposal designed to reduce Upstate New Yorkers tax burden and boost job growth across the region. Our plan continues to receive growing bipartisan support from members of the state Senate and Assembly.

As Governor Pataki and Comptroller McCall lead this new commission, we call on them to give serious consideration to our New ERA for Upstate plan.

As we’ve stated for the past seven years, reducing our massive tax burden is essential to a stronger economy and a brighter future for all New Yorkers. We look forward to working with this commission, as well as the governor and Legislature, to deliver broad-based tax relief to struggling families and employers.”

From Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness, and Frank Mauro, Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute:

Governor Cuomo just announced the formation of a new Tax Commission. This seems odd given that he appointed a Tax Reform and Fairness Commission in December 2012 that was asked to “undertake a broader review of the state’s complex tax code to find ways to make it simpler, and more fair, and help reduce the tax burden faced by New Yorkers and businesses” and to “conduct a comprehensive and objective review of the State’s taxation policy, including corporate, sales and personal income taxation and make revenue-neutral policy recommendations to improve the current tax system” and, in its review, to “consider ways to eliminate tax loopholes, promote administrative efficiency and enhance tax collection and enforcement.” (http://www.governor.ny.gov/press/12112012taxcommissionmembers)

In a state with record income inequality, child poverty, homelessness and hunger the appointment of former Governor George Pataki flies in the face of fairness and a desire for progressive tax policy. Former Governor George Pataki presided over the biggest “bait and switch” tax cuts our state has ever seen. He cut corporate and personal income taxes for the wealthiest in our state exacerbating New York State’s position as having the greatest income inequality of any state in the nation. His tax policies resulted in less reliance on progressive state taxes and more reliance on regressive property taxes. Does the Governor want Pataki to recreate the mess he created nearly 20 years ago? If the Governor wants to help upstate New York, the answer does not lie in the kind of high end tax cuts that Governor Pataki has always favored.

We already have nearly $2 billion in revenue reductions that were passed earlier this year and which are currently scheduled to be implemented in 2014 and thereafter. The $350 Family rebate checks, the minimum wage tax credit, the luxury condo tax breaks and the Start-Up New York tax cuts are all examples of bad tax policy that seems to be motivated more by politics than fairness and facts. In addition, the December 11, 2011, changes in the top PIT rates are reducing the income taxes paid by people with incomes over $500,000 by $2 billion a year.

What we are seeing is a Governor who does not want a thorough and balanced review by an objective Tax Commission and who is creating what should be called the “Commission to Endorse the Governor’s Tax Cut Plan.” The Governor should just appoint himself as the head of every commission he sets up since he is clearly calling the shots.

From the state Business Council, whose President and CEO Heather C. Briccetti has been appointed to the commission.

“Taxes are a defining factor impacting the state’s economic performance,” Heather C. Briccetti, Esq., president and CEO of The Business Council of New York State said. “The Business Council welcomes the opportunity to participate in this effort to relieve the burden of property taxes, which cost business in the state more than $17 billion each year, and review the long list of other taxes that are unduly burdensome to business.”

From from Assemblyman Kieran Michael Lalor (R,C,I – Fishkill)

“The governor keeps creating special commissions or taskforces on taxes and unfunded mandates. But, taxes are still high and unfunded mandates out of control. The governor announced the New York State Tax Reform and Fairness Commission in 2012. What did they do? Cuomo’s administration has been studying fracking for years without any decision. That’s costing New York jobs and revenue that would allow tax cuts. He created the Mandate Relief Redesign Team in 2011. There’s been no mandate relief. He doubled down on mandate relief teams with the Mandate Relief Council in 2012. Two special task forces, but still no mandate relief.”

“We don’t need another commission. We need the governor to sit down with Republicans and Democrats to put together a plan. We don’t need more discussions or investigations. We all know what the problems are. We need to fix the problems. Given the track record of the governor’s special commissions, New Yorkers probably don’t expect much from this latest PR show. Governor Cuomo needs to stop saying he is studying tax reform and just get down to cutting taxes.”

“If we’re going to cut taxes, we’re going to need to cut wasteful spending. But Cuomo’s budgets have been full of waste. Let’s start with cuts to pork projects and slush funds under the guise of ‘economic development.’ The good-government group Citizens Union found $3 billion has been doled out behind closed doors since the budget passed this spring. If there are legitimate projects worth funding they should be specified in the budget and voted on by the entire legislature. Waste goes unchecked when tax dollars are divvied up in secret by Albany power brokers. Last year we had three primary elections which cost about $50 million each. That means we wasted $100 million. Next year we’ll have two primaries and waste another $50 million. That’s just the beginning of Albany waste. If we stop wasteful spending, we’ll be able to cut New York’s out-of-control taxes.”

From Michael Kink, Executive Director of the Strong Economy For All Coalition on Governor Cuomo’s Tax Relief Commission:

ON THE COMMISSION

New Yorkers deserve a full-spectrum attack on income inequality: fairer taxes, better wages, more jobs and investments in education and infrastructure to build the future. The failed policies of the past just don’t work — we don’t need more tax cuts for the rich and big corporations, we need direct help for working families and those struggling to make it into the middle class.

ON PATAKI

As Governor, Pataki took the state tax system from progressive and fair to regressive and unfair, helped create the property tax crisis, and oversaw an explosion in income inequality. If he’s seen the errors of his ways, that’s one thing. If not, it’s like bringing in Godzilla to oversee the rebuilding from a Godzilla attack.

ON MORE TAX CUTS FOR BIG CORPORATIONS

New York has increased corporate tax loopholes by 25% over the past four years, and is now spending an all-time high of $7 billion on corporate subsidies and tax breaks — and we’re only growing low-wage jobs. More of the same just won’t work. We don’t need more tax breaks for big corporations, we need investments in the job creation and our future instead.

A POSITIVE PATH FORWARD

The Commission should focus on closing corporate tax loopholes, helping low-income and middle-class families, and broadening prosperity through fairer and more progressive state and local tax structures. Economic fairness is what New Yorkers need, want and deserve from their government.

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